This Must Be the Place

Florence Mangan and Jeremy Turner first crossed paths in New York City in 2017, outside a busy restaurant in Chinatown. Florence was getting some air, and Jeremy, running late, arrived just as their group of mutual friends was gathering. But it wasn’t the first time their paths could have intersected. Both New Zealanders, Florence and Jeremy had studied in Wellington at the same time and had, unbeknownst to them, many mutual friends, often frequenting the same parties although always somehow missing one another until that serendipitous moment in Manhattan. There was something fateful in the timing and something inevitable about how things unfolded.

From that chance encounter, their relationship bloomed quietly, almost sideways, through shared circles and weekends out. One of their first impromptu dates involved a bizarre bar in Williamsburg with a sand-covered floor, an unlikely setting that still makes them laugh. Jeremy was drawn instantly to Florence’s style, her confidence and the way she could deeply engage with everyone she met. “I thought she was beautiful,” he says simply. Florence’s first impression? “I thought he was very cute.” It was the beginning of something solid, though neither could’ve known just how defining that night would become.

“I was instantly drawn to Florence’s style, her confidence, and the way she could deeply engage with everyone she met.”

Eight years later, they live together in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in a warm, art-filled apartment that reflects their shared creative lives, Florence as an interior architectural designer and Jeremy as an art director. Their home is an evolving collage of objects they’ve collected, some made by friends and pieces they’ve crafted themselves. It speaks to their shared aesthetic, but also the gentle friction between their differences, Florence’s fast-paced, expressive energy alongside Jeremy’s calm, thoughtful steadiness.

Their relationship took a swift turn in 2020, when they moved in together just two weeks before New York City went into its first lockdown. That abrupt shift into around-the-clock cohabitation would test any couple, but for them, it sealed things. “We still spend pretty much every moment together,” Florence says. “And we love it.”

When it came time to formalise their future, there was no grand proposal, just a string of honest conversations that led to an ordinary Saturday afternoon when the topic of marriage came up again and they decided to go ring shopping on the spot. Ultimately, they found a piece they both loved at The Real Real, ordering it together and FaceTiming family and friends when it arrived a few days later.

In keeping with their relaxed but refined vibe, the couple decided to get married at Florence’s parents’ house in Ti Point (near Leigh, on the north-eastern coast of New Zealand). The vision was elegant but easy — think formal attire in the intimacy of a garden. “We didn’t want a big fuss,” Florence says. “But we love getting dressed up, and so do our friends.”

Planning was a true family affair. Florence’s three sisters each took on a role: Sylvie was the celebrant, she curated the wine list and created a signature cocktail, Ella created the menu and cake with the team from Burnt Butter, Olivia managed operations, including florals by Hands in the Dirt. Her partner handled lighting, while Ella’s partner curated the music. Jeremy’s mother, a jeweller and artist, crafted the wedding rings from gold panned in the Shotover River (near where Jeremy grew up). Even Jeremy’s dad and his brother Simon, along with Simon’s husband, were roped in to set up the furniture. Florence’s parents spent months preparing the garden, with her father, John, taking particular pride in perfecting the grass.

Even the dress was a team effort. After struggling to find anything that felt right for her, Florence ended up buying a vintage couture gown online, a dramatic, beaded “layer cake” of a dress. It wasn’t quite right, but the fabric was perfect. With the help of her friends, stylist Zoey Radford-Scott, set designer Maddy Peacock, and a master tailor (“Jacqui was my fairy godmother,” Florence tells me, with a laugh) the dress was reimagined into a sculptural, asymmetrical masterpiece. Jacqui cut out the voluminous tulle, handpicked the beads and repurposed the silk flowers, which Florence and her family wore in their hair on the day.

The ceremony took place in the garden under clear skies, a relief after a week of worrying forecasts. “We even went as far as planting a raw sausage in the garden the day before the wedding,” Florence laughs, “it brings good weather apparently, my sister found this superstitious ritual online.” Somehow, it worked and after Florence had emerged from the house to Max Richter’s ‘Spring 1’, a reimagined version of Vivaldi that she tells me she often dances to at home, the couple was married against a piercingly blue backdrop where ocean and cloudless horizon met.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed aperitivo hour before relaxing into an alfresco dinner, set up as a series of circular tables under the grand Pohutakawa trees lining the edge of the property. “We wanted it to feel like one big family meal,” Florence tells me, taking me through the delicious-looking menu.

Here, the vibe was intimate, unfussy and effortless. There was no first dance, just music curated by Florence’s brother in law and a feeling of celebration that didn’t require too much structure.

Looking back, there’s nothing they would have changed. The day was exactly what they wanted — full of laughter and the people they loved most. It allowed them an opportunity to reflect often on the life they’ve built together, especially their world in New York: the apartment filled with treasures, the Saturday morning routines of coffee, art, walks and visits to McCarren Park. And while travel has given them many happy memories, (trips to Europe, upstate getaways, hidden corners of their adopted city) it’s the everyday that holds the most joy. Jeremy making his lamps, Florence decorating the apartment with flowers from the farmers market. Their days are filled with laughter.

Of course, there are challenges, living so far from family is hard. But what I understand from our conversation is that these two truly complement one another in every way: Florence’s energy and exuberance is softened by Jeremy’s calm composure. “I learn so much from Jeremy everyday,” she tells me. “He is so patient and thoughtful and I strive everyday to be more like that! We really balance each other out.”

As for what’s next, they’re working on it. Maybe one day they’ll leave New York and return closer to home, but not yet. For now, they’re exactly where they want to be.